Since I was quite young, my opinions often collided with those of the others around me. I think that helped me to remain an individual and not integrate into a group.
What I specially like is to spin a view. Watch the movie “Thank You For Smoking” and you know what I mean. The first time I got spined hard by someone else was when I read “God and the State” by Mikhail Bakunin. Wow, how could they have told me the story the wrong way round at school, for years, I didn’t notice it.
Opinions are like jackets, you need to try them on to judge them. You are free to choose.
“It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.” (Aristotle)
Then you find some opinions that you find important and some opinions and behaviors that you need to stand up against. Often truth is completely irrelevant and I base my own moral judgment on utilitarian principles, not necessarily negative utilitarianism. We don’t have to abolish all suffering but should maximize hedonistic happiness.
So my opinions are my own, often decided out of a set of reasons or because I prefer the type of world that they are friendly with. I am my own moral authority and that is often quite demanding.
Religion has no influence on any aspect of my morality. Science can provide much better reasoning (further discussions see writings of Sam Harris).
As subpages I will add more and more topics about which I feel I have or don’t have a clear opinion.
